* AwesomeMusic:** The score by Music/JerryGoldsmith. He returned after 10 years and gave it his full orchestra treatment. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2iUHRBg-5E The Mountain]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na76Mrl89Rs A Busy Man]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kmu-aO5yxM Cosmic Thoughts]]** Nichelle Nichols' cover of Music/{{Hiroshima}}'s "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvTwqcGZhAE The Moon's a Window to Heaven]]" is very good, too. [[FanDisservice The fan dance, not so much.]]* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: There are a few.** The infamous scene where Uhura does a naked fan dance.** Klaa destroying ''Pioneer 10'' ForTheEvulz. It's never even mentioned that [[ScienceFictionWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale he would've had to enter deep into the Earth system to find it]].* * BizarroEpisode: The movie is a textbook example; the plot ignores many of the rules and conventions of the setting, the entire premise comes out of nowhere, it has no impact on the ongoing plot of the films which kicks back in for the next one, and the events are never mentioned again. Removing it from continuity entirely would have no effect on anything else in the franchise.* ContestedSequel: It won a UsefulNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward, is widely considered the shining example of the StarTrekMovieCurse and at the very least the worst movie with the original Enterprise crew, with some going so far as to consider it the worst ''Star Trek'' movie overall, or even one of the worst films of all-time. But has some defenders (see VindicatedByHistory)-->[[http://ew.com/ew/article/0,,1169126_10,00.html My favorite Trek joke goes "What do they call Star Trek in Japan?" Answer: Sulu, Master Navigator. My least favorite? The Final Frontier.]] * CrackPairing: Uhura and Scotty? Seriously? Granted, it probably wouldn't have been out of place in TOS or one of the earlier films, but the attraction between the two comes out of absolutely nowhere, and is never referenced again.* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: Kirk: "I thought I was going to die." Spock: "Not possible. You were never alone."* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: Jerry Goldsmith, UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nominee for ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'', returns. Highlights include "The Mountain" and "A Busy Man".* FridgeBrilliance: A possible reason for the numerous problems the almost mint-condition ''Enterprise''-A is having in this movie? It was in Spacedock during the Probe's sojourn to Earth.** Alternatively, [[WordOfGod Roddenberry suggested]] it's problems were because it was actually the ''Yorktown'', having been renamed and rushed back into service after the loss of the ''Enterprise'', hence why it comes across as a second-hand ship.** If Scotty knows the ship "like the back of his hand", why does he end up smacking his head on an overhanging bulkhead? Because he was likely thinking of the ''Enterprise'', not the ''Enterprise-A''. Furthermore, it's likely that not all ''Constitution-class'' vessels were refit in ''exactly'' the same way, particularly if this ship was originally the ''Yorktown''.** It's never outright stated, but as noted below and elsewhere, it's a safe bet that Kirk's greatest pain is the death of his son.** WebSite/SFDebris has pointed out that the movie becomes a lot better if you view it as a satire of Roddenberry's ideal "Communist sex utopia" future.* FridgeLogic: Why ''can't'' you use the brig toilet while in spacedock? [[http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/File:Brig_toilet_warning.jpg See the sign for yourself!]]** Obviously, for whatever reason, once it's flushed and resealed the waste is vented right into space. Which, when in spacedock, would mean probably splattering some poor maintenance worker's windshield.** The same reason you can't use train toilets in the station. Anywhere else on the Enterprise they probably just use the transporter...* FunnyAneurysmMoment: It's a bit uncomfortable in retrospect watching the scene in which Scotty hits his head on the bulkhead (after saying "I know this ship like the back of me hand!") knowing that James Doohan developed Alzheimer's disease towards the end of his life.* HarsherInHindsight: Kirk tells [=McCoy=] and Spock "I've always known I'll die alone." It was originally harsher after ''Film/StarTrekGenerations'', in which Kirk died without either one around; but it's ''heartbreaking'' now that Creator/WilliamShatner has outlived both Creator/DeForestKelley and Creator/LeonardNimoy.** And then, in ''Film/StarTrekBeyond'', [[spoiler:[[TheCharacterDiedWithHim it's revealed that Spock has died]], with the strong implication that he was the last surviving TOS crewmember.]]** When Sybok offers to take away his pain, Kirk refuses--emphatically insisting that he needs his pain. The next movie shows that Kirk holding onto his pain (specifically, his son being killed by Klingons) makes him an ample scapegoat for the conspiracy and is a major obstacle that he must overcome.* HilariousInHindsight: The plan to fly to the center of the galaxy is even goofier after the franchise created [[Series/StarTrekVoyager an entire show]] about how long that kind of trip takes.* HoYay: "Please, Captain. Not in front of the Klingons."-->Q: Who hates Klingons with a fiery passion?-->A: Every YaoiFangirl ever.** Sulu and Chekov have a few "old married couple" moments such as when they're lost in the woods in the opening. Which is even funnier after George Takei came out in real life years later.* HypocriticalHumour: One could view Creator/GeneRoddenberry's comments that he considered the film apocryphal to be this, considering that the ''Enterprise'' going on "the search for God" was ''his'' original pitch for the ''first'' movie.* IdiotPlot: Most of the movie, see PlotInducedStupidity.* MemeticMutation: "What does God need with a starship?"** From the DVD bonus features: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kestt5BI3eg "Captain Kirk is climbing the mountain,]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU2ftCitvyQ why is he climbing the mountain?"]]* {{Misblamed}}: Granted Shatner is the cause of a lot of the mess that is this movie, but he tends to get all of the blame even though there were several other factors such as ExecutiveMeddling and the WGA strike.* {{Narm}}: Spock's "pain."** When "God" chases Kirk near the end, it wails out "Yyyyyyyyyyooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" It's supposed to be haunting and scary, but sounds like an elderly ghost from ScoobyDoo trying to scare someone, and failing miserably.* NeverLiveItDown: Sarek's disappointment in his "so human" son from the moment of his birth, despite Spock looking just as Vulcan as you could want. Though for a good contingent of fans it's just one more piece of crappy writing better left forgotten.** Not to mention it's just bone-headed for Sarek to be disappointed his son is "so human" considering SPOCK'S MOTHER IS HUMAN. AND HE KNEW THIS. Freaking duh he's human!* {{Padding}}: A whole movie of it. You can easily skip from the fourth film to the sixth and lose nothing, and it actually makes the story flow better.* RetroactiveRecognition: By far the best remembered acting role by Lawrence Luckinbill, who's now far better known for being the uncle of the Wachowskis.* RomanticPlotTumor: Scott and Uhura? Since ''when''? * {{Sequelitis}}: In keeping with the odd-numbered films of the franchise, it is widely regarded as one of the lesser entries owing to its script, campiness, and poor special effects. * SoBadItsGood: Even TheNostalgiaCritic considers this better than ''Film/StarTrekInsurrection''.--> '''Critic''': At times, it can have some good moments, even some good character development..."* SpecialEffectFailure: Nearly every damn special effect in the movie. The phaser and transporter effects (handled by the same team that produced the corresponding effects on ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'') are decent, as is the StockFootage of the Klingon Bird-of-Prey from the two previous films, but most of the effects would be barely passable for a movie made in the ''1950s'', never mind 1989.** As mentioned, ILM was busy (this was the summer of ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'', ''Film/GhostbustersII'' and the pseudopod in ''Film/TheAbyss''). Shatner sought out another special effects creator who showed [[http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Associates_and_Ferren a few amazing demonstrations in person]], and then delivered ''complete and utter crap'', to the point that it necessitated further emergency script rewrites to accommodate how completely unusable the shots were.** Ironically, the Rock Monsters that were originally going to be chasing Kirk rather than the disembodied head of not-God were tossed out because the one suit they made looked "like crap," according to many. [[http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/202840/no_love_for_the_star_trek_v_rockman.html Seen here]], we can see that they actually looked far better than the effects in the damned movie.*** They look pretty decent standing posed for still photography, but that's still different than looking good in motion and intended to be watched on the big screen. Also there were apparently worries about the wearers' safety, since the suits were designed to emit smoke but the device to do so kept malfunctioning.** Most of the effects problems were apparently to do with the motion control photography being done at [=16fps=] instead of the usual [=24fps=], as a cost-saving measure. Notably, the static shots of the ''Enterprise'' and the Klingon Bird-of-Prey are generally okay (if a bit flatly lit), but whenever they move they do it in a stuttery, jerky fashion that looks like something out of an old Ray Harryhausen flick.** On the topic of the Enterprise, the model representing it was vandalized during the film's production by employees of Universal Studios Florida.*** Basically, the fact that Bran Ferren (the man behind the effects) has never been allowed near another movie to this day (he currently works for Creator/{{Disney}} Imagineering) says it all.** Sha Ka Ree as seen from space is clearly a ''star'', not a planet. On top of that, the planet's surface is clearly the same location used for Nimbus III, except tinted purple. Not surprisingly, this fails to produce the hoped-for effect of an ethereal paradise. Even the titular planet in the infamous TOS episode "The Search for Eden" looked far more like a tropical paradise than Sha-Ka-Ree does.** The Great Barrier is represented using an old-school FX tool called a cloud tank (essentially a large tank of water which other liquids can be injected into, creating surreal swirling patterns), but the results aren't particularly awe-inspiring, especially considering that the nebula from the second film was created using the exact same method 7 years earlier and looked far, far better.** The streak effect used when the ''Enterprise'' hits warp speed isn't ''bad'' per se but it's noticeably different than how the equivalent effect looks in the films handled by ILM, creating a bit of a visual continuity error. The transporter effect is much closer to ILM's but still a little less natural-looking. * StrangledByTheRedString: When did Uhura ever show romantic interest in Scotty?* TearJerker: The scene with [=McCoy=]'s dying father. DeforestKelley gets to '''[[SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct act]]'''.-->'''[=McCoy=]:''' Not long after, they found a ''cure!'' A '''GODDAMN CURE!'''* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The Nimbus III parts ''could'' have been amazing. Desert planet filled with rogues and criminals? It easily could have been Star Trek's [[Franchise/StarWars Tatooine]] but alas the Shat happened.** For comparison: Nimbus was revisited recently in ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'' for a 5 episode arc which gave it a ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' feel (a mix of SpaceWestern and {{Steampunk}}) for a good story. Imagine if this movie had Kirk in a SpaceWestern setting?* TookTheBadFilmSeriously: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW1BCy_dVeI Lawrence Luckinbill as Sybok]], as seen on his official demo reel from the film. He gives a pretty decent performance and one suspects that he would have provided a truly memorable villain, if his character had been given a less ridiculous motivation and plot.** Also Creator/DeForestKelley. Despite the film's generally hokey story and writing, a sizable contingent of fans consider this one of his best performances as Bones.* VindicatedByHistory: To a ''very'' slight degree. For about a decade or so after its release it tended to be up there with things like ''Film/HowardTheDuck'' and ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' on "Worst Films of All-Time" lists, and wasn't much better regarded among ''Star Trek'' fans. Nowadays it tends to be regarded as just a mediocre sci-fi flick, with the likes of ''Film/BattlefieldEarth'' attracting more BileFascination from casual viewers, and ''Trek'' fans turning their ire toward ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'', ''Film/StarTrekInsurrection'', or ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'' instead. It has a few heartwarming character moments that elevate it slightly as well.